| “ | Sometimes, as dire as it may seem, the best thing you can do to protect those you love is just… get up. | ” |
Clark Kent, born as Kal-El, is a reporter for the Daily Planet, a member of the Justice League and the vigilante known as Superman.
Biography
Early Life
Kal-El was born around 1982 on the planet Krypton to well-respected scientists, Jor-El and Lara Lor-Van. Not long after his birth, Krypton was destroyed, and he was sent to Earth by his parents. He was accompanied by his older cousin, Kara Zor-El, who was sent by her father to protect him, though her pod was knocked off course into the Phantom Zone.[2]
After entering Earth's atmosphere, the pod landed in Smallville, Kansas and Kal was soon adopted by Martha and Jonathan Kent under the name, Clark Kent. Eventually, Kent moved to Metropolis and began working as a reporter for the Daily Planet.[3]
Adventures of Superman
During his first day at the Daily Planet, Kent dashed out of a staff meeting to save Lois Lane from a helicopter crash, revealing himself to the world as Superman. This caught the attention of Lex Luthor, who kidnapped Lane in his Lexosuit and threatened to kill her if Superman refused to kneel before him. Kent was almost killed during this encounter, but he and Lane were ultimately saved by J'onn J'onzz.
At some point after this, Kent defeated Brainiac[3] and established a base of operations known as the Fortress of Solitude.[1] At some point in the early 2000s, Kent married Lois Lane, and they had two sons named Jonathan and Jordan Kent.[4] During his career as Superman, Kent also worked alongside Batman, coming to trust him so much that he gave him a shard of green kryptonite for safekeeping.[5] In 2009, Superman encountered Naxim Tork, who came to Metropolis to add him to his cosmic menagerie, but he was able to escape, resulting in Tork's target changing to Kara Danvers.[6]
Battle of Earth-Prime
A day after the creation of Earth-Prime, J'onn J'onnz visited Kent to restore his memories of the original multiverse, and he soon rushed to help the other heroes in the Battle of Earth-Prime. He, alongside several other heroes, were preparing to fight a hoard of Shadow Demons when they suddenly disappeared and the Anti-Monitor materialized in their place.
Flying overhead with the sky team, Superman attempted to destroy the Anti-Monitor's dome with his heat vision, but he and the other heroes were soon knocked back by a burst of antimatter. As the Anti-Monitor enlarged himself, Superman again tried attacking with his heat vision, but he was soon grabbed and crushed in his hand, only escaping after being shrunk by Atom. Following the defeat of the Anti-Monitor, Kent was returned to normal size.[4]
Formation of the Justice League
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Hours later, Kent was on patrol when he was called by Lois, who said he was needed in Metropolis to deal with an issue regarding his sons. This surprised him, as he was unaware that the crisis had altered his past so that he had two children rather than one.
Kent was later present at a memorial for Oliver Queen in the Hall of Justice, where Barry Allen proposed the formation of the Justice League to prevent future threats to the planet. The team then sat down at a table before being interrupted by the sounds of some sort of wild animal.[4]
Life after the Crisis
At some point after this, Kent supposedly recommended funnel cake from the Kansas State Fair to "Barry Allen", though it is likely that this did not actually happen as it was mentioned to Iris West-Allen whilst she was still in the Mirrorverse.[7]
War Against Heroes
At some point in the future, Kent retired as Superman and moved back to the Kent Farm in Smallville. In 2049, he was visited by Impulse and XS, who needed his help to defeat Magog, though he refused and instead told them that they could defeat him on their own if they trusted themselves. After Magog's defeat, Kent travelled to the Hall of Justice, speaking to several of his former teammates before hearing the Spectre discuss a coming threat.[3]
Powers and Abilities
Powers
- Kryptonian Physiology: Due to his Kryptonian physiology, Kent has a variety of superhuman powers.[4]
- Flight: Kent is able to manipulate his gravitational field to fly at hypersonic speeds.[4]
- Freeze Breath: Kent has a much larger lung capacity than humans and so can inhale large amounts of air to expel at superhuman speeds towards his enemies. He can use this ability to freeze objects to sub-zero temperatures.[8]
- Invulnerability: Kent is impervious to almost all forms of physical damage and so cannot typically be harmed[4] unless special means are used.[8]
- Accelerated Healing Factor: Even when physically injured, Kent's body heals far more quickly than the average person's would and far more efficiently as the healing process does not leave scars.[8]
- Self-Sustenance: Kent is able to travel into space without the use of specialist breathing equipment.[9]
- Heat Vision: Kent can fire blue energy beams from his eyes, the temperature of which he can adjust at will.[4]
- Superhuman Speed: Kent is able to move at speeds which far surpass that of most creatures or machines on Earth.[4]
- Superhuman Strength: Kent is able to lift extremely heavy objects with ease[3] and use his immense strength to fight other powerful foes such as the Anti-Monitor.[4]
- Superhuman Leaping: Kent is able to jump much higher than regular people, being known to leap tall buildings in a single bound by the general populace.[4]
- X-Ray Vision: Kent is able to see through solid objects provided they are not covered in lead.[8]
Abilities
- Hand-to-Hand Combat: Kent is an expert in hand-to-hand combat and as such is able to fight and defeat almost any foe.[4]
- Investigation: Kent is an expert investigator due to his extensive experience as a reporter for the Daily Planet.[3]
Weaknesses
- Green Kryptonite: Kent is susceptible to green kryptonite as it is the only substance which can penetrate his skin. After being exposed to it for long enough, Kent will get sick and eventually die.[8]
- Lead: Kent is able to see through every object except for lead.[8]
Equipment
Current Equipment
- Glasses: Kent wears a pair of glasses as a civilian to conceal his identity.[3]
- Items in the Fortress of Solitude: Kent, and his cousin Kara, have collected various items during their superhero careers, which are stored at the Fortress of Solitude.[9] These include a Bottled Earth,[10] Myriad, the Phantom Zone Projector, and the Solar Hammer.[11]
- Superman Suit: Kent wears a protective suit whilst operating as Superman.[4]
Appearances
| Appearances | ||
|---|---|---|
 |
Crisis on Infinite Earths: Part Five | Appears |
 |
The Book of Markovia: Chapter One: Blessings and Curses Reborn | Mentioned |
|
Meet the Legends | Mentioned |
 |
Back from the Future: Part One | Mentioned |
 |
Marathon | Mentioned |
|
It's a Super Life | Pictured |
|
The Bodyguard | Mentioned |
 |
O, Mouse! | Mentioned |
|
All's Wells That Ends Wells | Mentioned |
|
The Book of Ruin: Chapter Two: Theseus's Ship | Mentioned |
|
Rebirth (Supergirl) | Indirectly Mentioned |
|
Phantom Menaces | Mentioned |
|
Prom Night! | Mentioned |
|
Prom Again! | Mentioned |
|
Welcome Back, Kara! | Mentioned |
|
Armageddon, Part 3 | Emblem |
 |
Savior Complex | Appears |
Gallery
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Civilian
-
Superman
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References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Prom Again!
- ↑ Phantom Menaces
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 Savior Complex
- ↑ 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 4.11 4.12 4.13 Crisis on Infinite Earths: Part Five
- ↑ O, Mouse!
- ↑ Prom Night!
- ↑ All's Wells That Ends Wells
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 Immortal Kombat
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Deus Lex Machina
- ↑ The Bottle Episode
- ↑ Rebirth (Supergirl)
| Other versions of Clark Kent | |||||||||||||||||||
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| New Multiverse
Earth: 167 • 1 • 9 • 96 • F • UE-1 • UE-2 • Bizarro World | |||||||||||||||||||